La Plagne Ski Holidays
Thinking of La Plagne?
Consisting of ten different villages, each with their own style and greatness, La Plagne offers you endless ski holiday potential - whether you’re after the mellowness of a traditional alpine village like Plagne 1800 or the convenient lively ski in ski out of Plagne Centre.
In our collection, you'll find fantastic deals and savings for package and non package ski holidays to La Plagne. From cheap ski holidays to no expense spared, budget apartments to luxury hotels, find it all on igluski.com.
Resort Statistics
Level | Rating | Runs |
---|---|---|
Beginners | 76 | |
Intermediates | 33 | |
Advanced | 19 | |
Snowboarders | ||
Total Runs | 128 |
- Families
- Non-skiers
- Groups
Resort Altitude | 2100m |
Highest Lift | 3250m |
Total Piste | 225km |
Longest Run | 6km |
Directions of Slopes | N/E, S/W, N/W, N |
Total Lifts | 105 |
Gondolas/Cable cars | 9 |
Chairlifts | 36 |
Drag Lifts | 60 |
Snow Parks | 1 |
What is La Plagne like as a ski resort?
An expansive snow-sure ski area, La Plagne offers 225km of high quality pistes, making it one of France’s most popular skiing destinations.
That said, La Plagne doesn’t see quite the same mass of crowds as other large ski areas in France (think Tignes or Meribel), making it a great option for those who love the thrill of speeding down quiet motorway pistes (outside peak season).
Thanks to its ten villages, La Plagne delivers something for everyone, whether you’re after pretty, traditional chalets, or the convenience of purpose-built ski in ski out hotels and apartments.
In addition to plenty of mountain restaurants and bars, each of La Plagne's villages also has its own cluster of hospitality establishments, so no matter where you ski or stay in the resort, you’re sure to find somewhere decent for a post-ski drink or a bite to eat.
And with a free bus service running between Bellecote, Plagne Centre, and Plagne 1800 until midnight, you can explore all of La Plagne’s villages while you’re in the resort!
What makes La Plagne so popular?
La Plagne is popular for a whole host of reasons, including:
Snow-sure: A combination of 70% of the resort being above 2,000m, snow cannons, and the Bellecôte glacier ensure La Plagne remains snow-sure from mid December to late April.
Large ski area: La Plagne itself has a ski area of 225km. Combined with Les Arcs - thanks to the Vanoise Express cable car - La Plagne offers an incredible 425km of piste.
Pretty: While much of the resort is purpose-built, villages like Montchavin and Plagne 1800 have retained a traditional alpine feel and are great for those looking for a ‘pretty’ ski resort.
Beginner friendly: La Plagne is very beginner friendly. There are green learning areas near almost every village, including 1800, Plagne Centre, and Montalbert, and 76 easy blue runs.
Quiet: La Plagne experiences busy peak periods like any of France’s other top ski resorts, but off peak in early January and March, expect quick queues and quiet pistes.
Advanced skier friendly: With 33 reds, 19 blacks, and a lot of backcountry, La Plagne has a great offering for advanced skiers. Make sure to try the Bellecôte black off the glacier!
What are La Plagne’s different areas?
La Plagne has ten different villages, these are:
Plagne Centre: At 1970m, Plagne Centre is La Plagne’s main hub. It has plenty of shops, bars, and restaurants - even a nightclub - and has a very ‘purpose-built’ feel.
Belle Plagne: Perched on a hillside at 2050m, many of Belle Plagne’s properties are ski in ski out. No high rises, Belle Plagne has a more villagey feel, yet still offers lots of amenities.
Plagne Bellecôte: At 1930m, Plagne Bellecote is all about instant access to the vast La Plagne ski area. While mainly apartment blocks, these have a traditional alpine feel to them.
Plagne 1800: A cluster of traditional alpine chalets and apartments, Plagne 1800 offers a more low-key vibe with just a few local bars and restaurants.
Aime La Plagne: If you’re looking for convenience, Aime La Plagne is king. What it lacks architecturally, it makes up with stunning views and an incredibly well-located position.
Plagne Soleil: A smaller, quieter resort in the La Plagne domain, Plagne Soleil has a traditional feel. It has its own shops and bars, but is also connected to other villages by bus.
Les Coches: At 1450m, Les Coches is lower down the valley, making it less crowded, particularly during peak times. Although fairly new, Les Coches has a traditional feel.
Montchavin: A little further down the valley is Montchavin. Rustic in its appearance, Montchavin is a typical Savoyarde village. It’s also well positioned for the Vanoise Express.
Montalbert: On the other side of the resort at 1350m is the traditional village of Montalbert. With its tree lined runs, Montalbert is the perfect destination for snowy ski days.
Champagny: With its church and old farmhouses, Champagny is steeped in history. Being on the other side of the mountain, it is disconnected from La Plagne’s other villages.
What’s the accommodation like in La Plagne?
There is literally accommodation to suit all ski holiday tastes in La Plagne.
For a relaxed chalet holiday, head to Plagne 1800, Belle Plagne, Plagne Soleil, or any of the lower villages, where you’ll find plenty of fully catered, traditional chalet accommodation.
For hotels and apartments try Belle Plagne, Plagne Centre and Aime La Plagne. You’ll find plenty of ski in ski out options and be in amongst all the lively action.
La Plagne’s apres scene - is it lively?
While La Plagne isn’t a renowned apres ski resort, there is plenty of lively, post-ski fun to be had across its villages. Read our guide to La Plagne’s apres bars and nightlife for all the insights!
On the piste, head to La Bergerie near Plagne Centre for live DJs and typical apres mayhem. Le Bonnet in Plagne Bellecote also has a party on its sunny terrace from 4pm.
Pubs like La Tête Inn in Belle Plagne and Bar La Mine in 1800 can be relied on for live music, and there are countless bars and pubs where you can enjoy bar games, watch live sports - and more!
What activities are there to do in La Plagne?
La Plagne is an activity-rich resort. We’ve provided some ideas on the kind of things you can get up to while in resort in our guide on things to do in La Plagne.
If there’s a white out or you’re a non-skier or you just fancy a day off, you can head to the ice rink in either Plagne Centre or Plagne Bellecote, have a go at fat biking, sledging, ice climbing, go-karting and more!
And let’s not forget that there are lots of shops, spas, and restaurants you can visit if you’d rather do something more relaxing.
Skiing in La Plagne
Forming the Paradiski area with Les Arcs, La Plagne offers a total of 425km of piste. There’s a fantastic blend of blue, red, and black runs across both resorts, in addition to learner areas nearer the villages themselves for complete beginners.
With wide motorway blues and reds, uncongested runs, and lovely peaceful tree-lined pistes, La Plagne offers something for everyone. Add the extensive backcountry into the mix and you have yourself the perfect ski resort for all abilities.
Is La Plagne snow sure?
Because La Plagne is high (the majority of the resort above 2000m), La Plagne is very snow sure, with a season that stretches from mid December through to late April. While lower slopes can get slushy later on (this is the same for any resort), because many of the slopes are so high, the majority of La Plagne stays in great condition all season long.
Is La Plagne suitable for beginners?
La Plagne is a great resort for beginners. There is at least one free ski lift in each of the villages in La Plagne for beginners to find their ski-feet before purchasing a lift pass and using the main ski lifts.
There are also several drag lifts and magic carpets by the nursery slopes that are free of charge. Children aged 5 years and younger can claim a free lift pass - just enquire at the lift pass office with the child’s ID. Free lifts in La Plagne include:
- Plagne Centre - Telebaby
- Plagne Villages - Le Biquet
- Plagne Soleil - Le Solü
- Aime la Plagne - Aime la Plagne
- Plagne 1800 - Praconduit
- Belle Plagne - Crosets
- Montchavin - Sucette, Plan Bois
- Les Coches - Patinoire, Le Petit Sauget
- Champagny - La Bergerie
- Montalbert - Montalbert
Our guide to beginner skiing in La Plagne offers plenty more information on why La Plagne is such an excellent resort for beginners.
Family skiing in La Plagne
La Plagne is a glorious place for a family ski holiday. The large resort has plenty of accommodation options for all group sizes. There is so much to do within the villages and on the slopes to keep the family entertained all week long. Plus, there are many great ski schools for young or old developing skiers and snowboarders to get to grips with the basics.
Which airport do you fly into for La Plagne?
Geneva and Chambery are the closest airports to La Plagne.
Geneva is very well serviced from all UK airports and has a transfer time of about 2h 30, while Chambery has a transfer time of around 2h.
La Plagne SKI PASS PRICES
The prices for the La Plagne Paradiski lift pass, for the Winter 23/24 ski season can be found below.
Number of days | Adult price | Child price | Senior price |
---|---|---|---|
6 | €369.00 | €296.00 | €296.00 |
4 | €269.00 | €216.00 | €216.00 |
3 | €205.00 | €164.00 | €164.00 |
Prices are normally based on a full area lift pass and child ages vary by resort. The above are guides, so please call one of the Iglu team for prices for your holiday.
Ski Hire in La Plagne
There are normally a number of shops where you can pick up your pre-booked ski or snowboard equipment from. Which shop you go to will depend on where you are staying in La Plagne. Here is a guide to ski or snowboard hire in La Plagne:
Ski Hire Type | Adult 6 days | Child 6 days |
---|---|---|
Bronze - Skis and Boots or Snowboard and Boots | £72 | £58 |
Silver - Skis and Boots or Snowboard and Boots | £104 | £72 |
Gold - Skis and Boots or Snowboard and Boots | £125 | |
Platinum - Skis and Boots or Snowboard and Boots | £135 |
You can book your ski hire for your trip to La Plagne here
La Plagne Reviews
3 of us were booked into a one bedroom apartment in the Chalet Edelweiss. The other bed is in the lounge/kitchenette area and is a pull out from the sofa. Apartments were spotlessly clean as was all the cooking and storage spaces. The bathroom and separate toilet also spotless. The apartments are "Bijou" and it would have been good to have a draining board, but we managed okay and we were mostly eating out in any case. Apartments are no more than 50m from the bottom of the Melezes lift so literally from breakfast to the Bergerie lift is a 5 minute job. You could also order epic pain chocolate and bagette to collect from reception in the mornings from a local bakery. Also great pizza from the Bobsleigh bar just a 1 minute walk away. As is the lift pass office and sport 2000 for ski hire. All in all perfectly situated. This was our 3rd time in Plagne 1800 and usually do chalet catering, but due to Covid 19 only 3 of us were up for risking travel this time and we felt the self catered option a safer option. We had a fabulous bluebird week (bar the 2 hours stuck on the apron at Chambery, on the way in, which the whole flight got through in good humour and a few bevvies) Lyon on the way home was a much smoother operation (nicely done Crystals). Was good to knock the rust off the ski technique after 2 years of pining for the Alps. Everyone in resort was bob on. Ignore my Apres ski review as I am more of a few beers back at the chalet type. The food at the La Roche Restaurant was probably my favourite, with the Bergerie altitude restaurant a strong second. Honourable mention to the Bonnet bar in Bellecote for a solid beefburger. Roll on the next ski trip.
Apres Ski: 3/5
Bridget Kaneen
Unexpectantly good. Late January 2022 with no new snow but pistes well conditioned. In the lower villages there was artificial comming through but higher up they kept most of the slopes open and groomed and some left "Natur" with enough bumps for most. The off pistes were well skied. The South facing sun bowls were a treat of wide quiet blues and challenging reds. Only saw occasional lift interruptions for unknown reasons. Occasional Covid passes done very efficiently on phones. No significant queues . Restaurant / drinks queues at busy times were long but could be avoided with planning of location and timing. Skiied many resorts in many countries and La Plagne was not on my radar but had a great week and commend the resort for operation only a few days after French covid rules relaxation.
Apres Ski: 2/5
Old Intermediate